Marvin James Bates

Marvin James Bates, Jr. age 88, of Lawrenceville, GA, passed away on Wednesday, August 10, 2011.

Funeral service will be held on Tuesday, August 16, 2011 at 2pm at Hamilton Mill Memorial Chapel, Buford, GA. Rev. John Batusic will officiate. Interment will be in Hamilton Mill Memorial Gardens. The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 12 noon until time of service on Tuesday. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to either of the following: Mission to the World, 1600 North Brown Road, Lawrenceville, GA 30043, or to, CMPCA, P.O. Box 7280, Chestnut Mountain, GA 30502.

Marvin was born to Lillie Moore Bates and Marvin James Bates, Sr. on October 31, 1922 in Sylacauga, Alabama. Marvin grew up in Clanton, Alabama. He served in Italy during WWII as a tail gunner with the 463rd Bomber Group in the 15th Air Force where he completed fifty combat missions.

He graduated from the University of Alabama in June of 1949 with a BS in Commerce and Business Administration. In 1958, he graduated from the Birmingham School of Law and was admitted to the Alabama State Bar in 1959. After graduating from the University of Alabama, he worked with Alabama Power Company in Birmingham and Southern Company in Atlanta. He retired from Southern Company as Director of Data Processing in 1984.

Marvin is survived by his wife of over sixty years, Nan Allison Bates, and by his two children, daughter Mary Bates Watley (Bill) of Dacula, GA and son Reverend Marvin "Mark" Bates, III (Tricia Hannaford) of Colorado Springs, CO. In addition, Marvin is survived by his five grandchildren, Joshua Michael Waldrop (Heather) and Benjamin Blake Watley of Dacula, GA, Allison Kayleigh, Ashley Elisabeth and Anna Katherine Bates of Colorado Springs, CO; one great-grandchild, Sophie James Waldrop; sisters, Naomi Zopfi of Houston, TX and Faye Reeves of Summerville, SC; brother, Hugh M. Bates (Janie) of Clanton, AL; sister-in-law Margaret Bates of Adamsville, AL; and brother-in-law Sam Benton of Opp, AL. He is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews.
Marvin was preceded in death by his parents, Marvin J. Bates, Sr. and Lillie Moore Bates of Clanton, AL; brothers Braxton Bates, Oscar Bates, and Donald Bates all of Birmingham, AL and Jack Bates of Adamsville, AL; sisters Hazel Bates Baker of Birmingham, AL and Mignon Bates Benton of Opp, AL.

The Bates lived in Birmingham, AL and Dunwoody, GA for a number of years prior to moving to Lawrenceville, GA. Marvin was a member of Briarwood Presbyterian Church in Birmingham and Perimeter Church in Duluth during those years. He had been a member of Chestnut Mountain Church (PCA) since 1997.

Hamilton Mill Memorial Chapel
770-945-6924
Share memories of Marvin at www.hamiltonmillchapel.com